1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-data processing apparatus and an image-data processing method. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image-data processing apparatus and an image-data processing method which enable a user to easily retrieve desired image data from a large volume of still image data and moving-image data stored in a recording medium, and to play back or edit the image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, with an increase in the capacity of a recording medium, it has become possible to record image data of a large number of still images and moving images obtained by a digital still camera and a camera-integrated video recorder, respectively. However, when it becomes possible to record image data of a large number of still images and moving images in a recording medium, if the user plays back, edits, etc., the image data, it becomes difficult to retrieve desired image data easily. Thus, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-49332 has disclosed a method in which a feature of record target data is extracted at recording time, meta data based on the feature is stored, and desired data can be easily obtained by retrieving the meta data at playback time.
Also, there have been proposals for a method in which a face of a person is detected, and desired data is retrieved from a recording medium using the detected face as a keyword. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-33276 has disclosed a method in which a similarity between a detected face from playback target data and a face of a specific person is determined, and images including a face having a high similarity are played back in sequence. Also, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2007-281858 has disclosed a method of extracting a partial moving image including the person from the playback target data by the user specifying a specific person in playback target data.